The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-02-03
GREAT BATTLE PICTURE.
Some Oservatlons on the Beauties and Realisn,s
Of the Gettysburg Spectacular Panorama.

GREAT BATTLE PICTURE.
Some Oxer1atlons on the Beau.iss and Rsalisas
Of the Gettysburg Spectacular panorama.
st: Paul Dispatch: although hundreds OF
citizens Of st Pual and strangers visit the
great Gettysburg panorama at the corner
Of Sixth and 81. Peter streets every day,
there are thousands more who have not
yet realized the splendid attractions OF
this matchess spectacular exhibition.
They pass it by as an unexciting sort Of
show-good but not celebrating. On the
contrary there is no theater in all the
country where 30 exciting Il tragedy holds
the Boards:
On tho wonderful canvas OF the Gcttys.
burg picture is portrayed one of tho realities
ofhistory. What are sham grie:s and
mock tears compared to the reality Of that
fierce onslaught which fixed the nations
destiny, turned the babblins brooks to
blood, and planted the crimson flower OF
death broadcast along its wooded hills!
TIL, grefs OF the footlight world are soon
forgotten, but the griefs that sprang to
life from Gettysburg field shall never find
assuagement within thousands Of stricken
hearts until the peace OF eternal years en-.
folds them.
The picture represents the decisive nc.
ton OF July 3, 1868. 1t was painted b,
artists who thoroughly posted themselves
as to the location Of troops, the LANDSCAPE
and other details OF the fight rs it actual
ly took place. BY such care they were en-.
abled to reproduce the maneuvers OF that
dreadful day, so, that, looking upon the
work, we can not realize that we are gazing
the picture is 10000 square feet The
wonderful blending Of effects in the fore
ground so deceivcs the eye that one can
not separate the real from the unreal.
Entering the unique building in which
the painting is on exhibition through a
dark passage, you grope your way. until
the ascent Of AL unlighted stairway ushers
you suddenly into q new region. You have
left the streets OF St. Paul behind you
and penetrated one OF Pennsylvania .
loveliest valleys. About you lie wooded
hills that belt with livinggrecn q stretch OF
fields and meadows. An old rail fence zig.
Gags across the foreground. The illusion
is perfect as your eye takes in the swarm.
ing blue-coats and the upsprinsing uni
forms Of grey confronting them.
Taking your standpoint ut the exact
center OF the scene OF action, you soon lose
thought OF Ill the world but the exciting
sweep OF events about you. The horses
actually seem to be alive; their wild eyes
full OF splendid courage and dauntless de.
sire. Rosa Bonheur never painted a better
scene OF animal life in action. Every
muscle stands out like whip-cords. Under
q copse to the south OF Il central stand.
point the never. to- he. forgotten charge OF
General Pickett and his desperate men is
in progress-a charge which proved the
tidewater mark OF the rebellion, from
which it slowly ebbed to it's close. You
can almost hear the sharp whistle of bull.
let's and the unceasing roar OF batteries, as
the carnage is ut its height. From the
pale lips OF wounded men you seem to
catch the pitiiul cry OF their agony; and
the last shudder which convu!sed the
features OF the dead, seems yet to haunt
the air.
All about You look where you will, brave
boys are falling thick rs leaves in An au-
tumn storm. Up from the meadows Il re-
Enforcement oi gray coats, 1900 strong,
is trampiing the blossomins grasses under
foot. Each man is as thoroughly in ear
nest as men are sure to be, when some ia.
tai moment un|ooses the bulldog passions
in their souls. Their front is like the crest
Of III angry sea. Take your glass and look
closely at this magnificent charge. Under
the strongest glass, the most distant hui
man figures mot larger than cnckroaches
on the actual canvas) stand out clear dis
tinct, artistic and liie-sized, thus vastly
enLrging the scope Of vision.
Through the very thickest of tho battlea
magnificent horse is flying riderless. His
gallant master lies somewhere in the red
storm OF death. but he, with head erect
and strained blood shot eye. is seeking
safety, he knows not where. Away from
tie tangle Of white faces, and pale. out.
stretched hands; away from the scream of
bursting shells; away from the wars tur.
moil to the peace OF the hills, the brighten.
ed horse, they tell us, found his way at
last to safety and an honored old age. The
event was an actual occurrence of that day
of horror.
Perhaps the feature which appeals most
strongly to the local beholders is the vivid
portrayal OF the historic charge OF the gal.
liant old First Minnesota" regiment.
This regiment is truthfully and graphical
ly portrayed rushing heorically to the
flaming front, under the leadership of the
brave Col. Colvill, who was desperately
wounded in this battle, and yet survives.
manned and dis6gured, an honored citi.
zen Of Red Wing. The colonel and n large
painted from photographs, and the like.
nesses are readily recognized. The bat.
tie flag OF the Twenty eighth Virginia rcgi-
ment, which led the charge of Picket's
division, and is correctly painted in it's
place in the picture, lies in the fore.
ground. 1t was captured by Marshall
Sherman, of St. Paul, q member OF the
First Minnesota, and by him loaned to the
panorama company.
The canvas presents for us hut one mo-
ment-an eternal moment!-of the struggle
that waged so fiercely for three long sum-
mer days. But it strikes that one moment
so sharpely. it holds it forth so grandly,
and immortalizes it so completely that, to
see the picture is to the thoughtful soul
full revelation OF q direful yet glorious
epoch OF history. Never imagine for a sin.
gle moment that the Gettysburg piano.
rama will bore you, or that it ranks with
the ordinary panoramic visit to tome
lands and scriptural places. This wonder
full painting is as unlike the average piano.
rama as spice differs from marble dust, or
champagne from tepil tea.